FRESNO, CA (March 1, 2017) -- Fresno brothers Jason and Ryan Higton are headed back to the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship, where they’ll be joined by former USC teammates Stewart Hagested and Sam Smith.

The Higton brothers and the team of Hagested and Smith both earned automatic spots into this year’s U.S. Four-Ball Championship at Pinehurst (May 27-31) after posting co-medalist earning scores of 8-under 64 in a qualifier held February 27th at par-72 Sunnyside CC in Fresno.

The Higtons, who played in the inaugural 2014 U.S. Four-Ball at The Olympic Club, used some home cooking. The pair was flawless, posting eight birdies with zero bogeys. They’d card a front-nine 30 thanks to five straight birdies from holes No. 5 through No. 9.

Hagested, the winner of last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, and Smith posted an eagle (par-5 5th) and seven birdies to go against just one bogey.

The first alternate spot went to the tandem of Jason Anthony and Randy Haag. Anthony and Haag, who won the 2016 NCGA Mid-Amateur Four-Ball title and played in last year’s U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, shot 65. The second alternate spot was claimed by the tandem of Reid Scarff and Cody Slover (66).

ABOUT THE U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying

Conducted over 18 holes, sectional qualifying
is held at sites across the United States
from late summer to spring.